Folding chair



J. J. CROFT FOLDING CHAIR May 18, 1937.

2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed'March 21, 1956 Mk m W mo 3mm lv/xv JGPIOFT W wMN Gw n/MA May 18, 1937. CROFT I 2,080,765

FOLDING CH IR Filed March 21, 1936 I 2 She ets-Sheet 2 Patented May 18, 1937 FOLDING CHAIR.

John J. Croft, Siler City, N. 0., assignor to High Point Bending & Chair 00., Siler City, N. 0., a corporation of North Carolina Application March 21, 1936, Serial No. 70,130

Claims.

This invention relates to folding chairs and the primary object thereof is to provide novel means for securely and positively retaining the chair in operative position and also in folded position against accidental movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide means of simplified and economical, as well as compact construction which enables the chair to be easily and quickly folded and unfolded.

Still further the invention aims to provide novel latching means for holding the chair in either of its positions.

Still further and other objects will be later set forth and manifested in the course of the 5 following description.

In the drawings:

Fig- 1 is a vertical sectional view of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the chair in its folded position; and

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

In proceeding in accordance with the present invention, a back I is provided, having legs 2. A seat 3 is pivoted by means of brackets 4 to the back I and is supported by front legs 5 which latter are pivoted by brackets 6 to the seat 3.

The invention resides in the provision of a guide composed of members I and 8 formed of strap-like material which are spaced throughout their major portions, while their ends are disposed in abutting relation and secured by fastenings 9 to the under face of the seat 3. It will be observed that the end portions of the memhers I and 8 are each curved to conjointl-y provide keepers II and I2.

A pair of similar braces I3 are pivoted at M to the rear legs 2 and have their forward ends I5 projecting upwardly. Aroller I6 is journalled between the upwardly projecting portions I5 of the legs I3, the roller having bodily movement throughout the length of the space between the members i and 8 of the guide, the roller being receivable in either of the keepers II and I2, according to whether the chair is folded or unfolded.

A pair of substantially straight braces I1 are pivoted at their outer ends I8 to the front legs 5 of the chair and have their inner ends engaged with opposite sides of the upwardly extending portions I5 of the braces I3. A roller I9 is disposed beneath the member 8 of the guide and is journalled between the upwardly extending portions I5 of the braces I3 by means of a pintle 20, whereby it will be seen that the pintle 20 acts, not" only to connect the braces I! to the braces I3, but to also provide a journal for the roller I9. Preferably in manufacturethe members I and 8 are riveted together as indicated at M in Fig. 2, thereby to facilitate the securement of the guide by means of its fastenings 9 to the seat.

In operation, with the chair in the position of Fig. 1, the roller I6 is in keeper II, while roller I9 is forced against the front curved end of the member 8 of the guide, thus securely latching the seat against movement and enabling the chair to be tilted by the occupant either forwardly or rearwardly with the parts firmly held in its operative position. To fold the chair it is merely necessary to hold the back in one hand and exert an upward pulling force on the front end of the member 8, the parts I2 and I6 thus likewise holding thechair firmly in its foldedposition and against accidental unfolding. To unfold the chair, or to restore the same to operas; tive position, it is merely necessary to hold the back I in one hand and exert downward pushing force on the seat 3 with the other hand thus causing the rollers and associated parts to occupy the position shown in Fig. 1.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the chair is positively held in either of its positions and stillis easily and quickly operable into and out of foldable andoperative positions.

It is also apparent that the invention is susceptible of uses other than with chairs, i. e., in

connection with articles in general that are foldable, such as, tables and supports, of varying types.

What is claimed is:

1. A folding chair or like device, including a back having legs, a seat pivoted to the back, front legs pivoted to the seat, a guide composed of upper and lower spaced resilient members secured to the seat and having up-bent parts adjacent their ends to form keepers, a pair of braces pivoted at one end to the back legs and having a roller journaled between their opposite ends, which roller is received in the guide and is movable along same and received in the keepers, a pair of braces pivoted at one end to the front legs, a roller underlying the guide and means toconnect the roller to the opposite ends of thebending to engage in the keepers, while the other roller will be forced past the adjacent lines of bend of the lower member of the guide.

2. A folding chair or like device including a back having legs, a seat pivoted to the back, front legs pivoted to the seat, a guide composed of up-' per and lower spaced resilient members secured to the seat and having up-bent parts adjacent their ends cooperating to form keepers, said upbent ends of the upper member of the guide being formed to provide downwardly facing shoulders and said up-bent ends of the lower member of the guide being of arcuate form underlying the shoulder portions of the upper member of the guide, a pair of braces pivoted at one end to the back legs and having a roller journaled between their opposite ends, said roller being received in the guide and movable along same and into the keepers, the shoulders being positioned relative to the roller in the guide so that the roller must be forced past the shoulders to enter the keepers, and a pair of braces pivoted at one end to the front legs and having their opposite ends pivotally connected to the first named braces adjacent the upper ends of the latter, whereby upon movement of the seat to either open or closed position the roller will be forced past one of the shoulders formed on the upper member of the guide to retain said seat in operative or inoperative positions.

3. A folding chair in accordance with claim 2, in which a second roller is carried by one of said pair of braces and bears against the outer face and the arcuate end portions of the lower member of the guide.

4. A folding chair ,or like device including a back having legs, a seat pivoted to the back, front legs pivoted to the seat, a guide composed of upper and lower spaced resilient members secured to the seat and having up-bent parts adjacent their ends cooperating to form keepers,

other of said members of the guide having its upbent ends of arcuate form disposed adjacent said shouldered portions of the other guide member, brace means pivoted at one end to the back legs, a roller journaled on the opposite end of said brace means and receivable in the guide and movable along same and into the keepers, the shoulders being positioned relative to the roller in the guide so that the roller must be forced past the shoulders to enter the keepers, and a second brace meanspivoted at one end to the front legs and having its opposite end pivotally connected to the first named brace means adjacent the upper end of the latter, whereby upon movement of the seat to either operative or inoperative position, the front legs and thereby the brace means will force the roller past one of said shoulders and into the keeper to retain the seat in operative or inoperative position.

5. A folding chair or like device including a back having legs, a seat pivoted to the back, front legs pivoted to the seat, a guide composed of upper and lower spaced resilient members secured to the seat and having up-bent parts adjacent their ends cooperating to form keepers, said up-bent parts of the upper member of the guide being formed to provide downwardly facing shoulders and said up-bent parts of the lower member of the guide beingof arcuate form underlying the shoulder portions of the upper member of the guide, brace means pivoted at one end to the back legs, a roller journaled on the opposite end of said brace means and receivable in the guide and movable along same and into the keepers, the shoulders being positioned relative to the roller in the guide so that the roller must be forced past the shoulders to enter the keepers, and a second brace means pivoted at one end to the front legs and having its opposite end pivotally connected to the first named brace means adjacent the upper end of the latter, whereby upon movement of the seat to either operative or inoperative position, the front legs and thereby the brace means will force the roller past one of said shoulders and into the keeper to retain the seat in operative or inoperative position.

JOHN J. CROFT. 

